K. Jackson -- VGAS -- Vaporizing Gas Aspiration System --
article & US Patent # 4366797

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**Kenneth JACKSON**

**Vaporous Gasoline Aspiration System (VGAS)**

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**Excerpts: *Grainews* ( October 1983 ) , p. 51**

**A Vapour Fuel System is Now in the Works**

**By** **Brad Dennis**

There are those of us who still tout the vapor principle as
being far superior to what Detroit is presently producing. It
finally looks as though a computerized vapor fuel system will
enter the market which proves the Pogue vapor carburetor theory
is a valid one.

Two firms came very close to breaking into the market place (or
should I say, against the bureaucrats) with their systems:
Advanced Fuel Systems, Seattle, WA which is based on Tom Ogles
patent and the Flex vaporizing System in Nevada. To this day,
however, there is not one vaporizing system available.

This time the story might change. A small firm in Ohio has
progressed further in achieving the goal of a practical vapor
fuel system and it appears to be the moist cost effective
systems yet developed.

The company is VGAS and stands for Vaporizing Gasoline
Aspiration Systems.

VGAS has spent the last five years perfecting a vapor fuel
system that offers a 100 percent gain in fuel mileage and a
drastic drop in emissions. The corporation has spent better than
$1.5 million on this project and are expected to mass produce
and market these vapor systems worldwide. Presently there are
some 330 US dealer-installers who promote and field test the
VGAS system (Figure 1).

The system weighs 31 pounds. It is expected to retail for
between $400 and $500. Installation takes two to three hours

While the system makes conventional liquid carburetors obsolete
and unnecessary, vehicles can convert back to their old
carburetor with a switch on the dashboard.

It has been tested at temperatures between 95 to 18 F.

He firm has developed the concept, to the point of having
computer-programmed mass produced systems applicable to just
about any internal combustion engine made in Detroit. And the
systems are in the price range most people can afford (Figure
2).

Now for you who follow the information in this column on
vaporizers, and have done some research on your own, it is
common knowledge there is a tremendous number of vapor
carburetor or system patents worldwide. None of these 18,000 or
more patents have found its way on to the marketplace. The
problem of control, gasoline chemical fragment separation, had
always been the reason why these systems didnt work. But with a
microprocessor, the task of controlling the multi-fraction
separation of the fuel in the vaporizing process can easily be
overcome. The advantage of this system is its adaptability to
auto engines, marine, and stationary for irrigation or
electrical generation.

So lets take a deeper look at what VGAS is all about and what
it plans to do with their high mileage vapor system

The VGAS device in its most ideal form would replace the
carburetor altogether and occupy no more space than that on the
engine

The VGAS president continues his claim of two years ago, that
his device will potentially double the mileage of any
gas-powered vehicle, subsequently cutting fuel costs in half.
The device works at its optimum on traditional gas-hogs like
Lincolns, Cadillacs, other large cars, pickup trucks and 4-wheel
drive vehicles

The VGAS system operates by converting liquid gasoline to a
vaporous mixture of gasoline and air, which is fed to the engine
as needed through a system of temperature controls and vacuum
passageways --- via a microprocessor which constantly monitors
engine demand

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**USP # 4366797**

**Vaporous Gasoline Aspiration System and
Fuming Tank**

Also published as:  WO8103357 (A1)  // 
EP0052650 (A1) //  NL8120235 (A)  // GB2086474 (A)
//  SE8200246 // MC1461

**Abstract** -- A fuel system especially designed for use
with an internal combustion engine or the like in which fuel
system is operable therewith to provide fuel fumes or vapor to
the engine from a source of liquid ignitable vaporizable fuel,
such as gasoline, of sufficient quantity whereby to
significantly increase the efficiency of the engine and thus
substantially increase the per gallon mileage rate for the
engine when used in an automotive vehicle or the like, and one
using liquid fuel as the original fuel source. The system
includes improved means for fuming the liquid fuel.

Inventors:  Jackson; Kenneth A. (Wooster, OH), Arndt;
George I. (Loudonville, OH)   
Assignee:  V.G.A.S., Inc. (Loudonville, OH)

Current U.S. Class:  123/523 ; 261/119.2; 261/36.2   
Current International Class:  F02M 29/04 (20060101); F02M
29/00 (20060101); F02M 17/00 (20060101); F02M 17/24 (20060101);
F02M 29/06 (20060101); F02M 17/20 (20060101); F02M 33/00
(20060101); F02M 33/08 (20060101); F02M 017/18 ()   
Field of Search:  123/522,523,524
261/36A,119A,119R,79R,102,104

**References Cited [Referenced By]**   
**U.S. Patent Documents**

415978 November 1889 Regan   
474838 May 1892 Lambert   
890970 June 1908 Durr   
993516 May 1911 Gentle   
1278946 September 1918 Langworthy   
1403848 January 1922 Forrest   
1809531 June 1931 Pogue   
1828134 October 1931 Fahrney   
2598445 May 1952 Schneider   
2742886 April 1956 McPherson   
3282033 November 1966 Seppanen   
3931801 January 1976 Rose   
4074666 February 1978 Pierce   
4196710 April 1980 Lehar   
4271809 June 1981 Moore

**Description**

This invention relates to a new and novel fuel system and more
particularly to a fuel system especially designed for use with
internal combustion engines or the like, and which fuel system
is operable therewith to provide fuel fumes to the engine from a
source of liquid ignitable vaporizable fuel, such as gasoline,
and of sufficient quantity, whereby to significantly increase
the efficiency of the engine, to thus substantially increase the
per gallon mileage rate for the engine when used in an
automotive vehicle or the like, and using the liquid fuel as an
original fuel source.

**BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION**

It is recognized in the art that the efficiency of the typical
internal combustion engine in present use in automotive vehicles
and the like is approximately twenty-five percent or less when
using liquid fuel such as gasoline or other like ignitable
fuels, such as for instance pentane, hexane, heptane, octane,
nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tetra decane, hexadecane,
octadecane, and crude oil.

Typical prior art fuel systems are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No.
3,749,376.

In the use of any such liquid fuel with an associated internal
combustion engine it is well recognized that a substantial
percentage of said fuel is not utilized by the engine for power
generation, but instead is expelled from the engine and/or
burned or consumed in the exhaust system thereof.

In applicant Kenneth A. Jackson's pending U.S. patent
application, Ser. No. 129,345, filed Mar. 11, 1980 and entitled
"Vaporous Gasoline Aspiration System," there is disclosed a
novel fuel system which will materially increase the efficiency
of an internal combustion engine, and the prior art identified
therein is incorporated herein, without specifically listing the
same. The present invention is an improvement of a system of the
general type disclosed in Ser. No. 129,345.

**BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION**

Briefly, the invention provides a fuel system for use with an
internal combustion engine or the like wherein fuel fumes are
generated from a liquid source of ignitable fuel such as
gasoline, or similar liquid vaporizable fuel, and presented in a
fumed state to the engine for consumption and power conversion
therein, and wherein the system is provided with improved means
for fuming the liquid fuel.

Novel arrangements of fume tanks are disclosed for use in the
fuel system.

Substantially all of the fumed fuel presented to the engine is
consumed therein for power conversion, thus resulting in
substantially increasing the efficiency of the engine and hence
substantially increasing the mileage rate per gallon of liquid
fuel.

In actual testing of one embodiment of system incorporating the
present invention with an internal combustion engine in an
automobile, the mileage rate obtained per gallon with liquid
leaded gasoline as the source of ignitable fuel, has been of the
order of at least 400 percent greater than that which has been
heretofore obtainable using liquid gasoline which is directly
burnable in the engine.

For example, testing of the present system has been undertaken
with a 1975 Cadallic wherein the mileage rate per U.S. gallon of
fuel obtained has been in the magnitude of 45-48 miles per
gallon with liquid leaded gasoline as the fuel source.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to
provide a fuel system especially designed for use with an
internal combustion engine utilizing liquid ignitable fuel as
the fuel source, and wherein the fuel system is operable to
generate fuel fumes from said liquid fuel and to provide a
sufficient quantity of the same to the engine, so as to
substantially increase the operating efficiency of the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel system
especially designed for use with an internal combustion engine
of an automotive vehicle adapted to utilize liquid ignitable
fuel and which system is operable to generate fuel fumes in an
improved manner from the liquid fuel, and to provide fumes of
sufficient quantity to the engine, whereby to significantly
increase the efficiency of the engine, to thus substantially
increase the automotive vehicle per gallon mileage rate of the
liquid fuel.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
fuel system as hereinabove referred to which is operable at
atmospheric pressure and which utilizes the vacuum or suction
generated by the engine, to provide the fuel fumes to the
engine.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a
fuel system a hereinabove referred to and which is substantially
easily adapted for use with an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel system of
the type hereinabove referred to and which utilizes the vacuum
of the internal combustion engine to supply fumed fuel to the
engine, and wherein the system includes a novel auxiliary or
fume tank in conjunction with the main fuel tank, for improving
the fuming of the liquid fuel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fuel
system in accordance with the above, which includes improved
means for fuming the liquid fuel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fuel
system in accordance with the foregoing wherein arcuate
diffusing vanes are provided in conjunction with baffle
structure, for aiding in removal of liquid droplets of fuel from
the fuel-air mixture adapted to be supplied to the engine.

A further object is to provide novel arrangements of fume tanks
for assembly with the conventional main liquid fuel tank of an
automotive vehicle, for materially increasing the operating
efficiency of the engine of the vehicle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent
upon reference to the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred
embodiments thereof.

**BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT**

The fuel system of this invention provides fumed fuel from a
source of liquid fuel such as gasoline or like liquid ignitable
fuel, many of which are hereinabove referred to, to an internal
combustion engine.

As one preferred embodiment, it is herein described, for use
with an automobile wherein "fumed gasoline fuel" is generated in
an auxiliary or fume tank, which coacts with a main liquid fuel
tank, and is mixed with air, and then supplied to the carburetor
of the engine, for powering the latter. The fume tank is
controllably vented or connected to atmosphere, to provide
suitable quantities of air for fuming and mixing with the
vaporous fuel, and improved means are provided for accomplishing
the fuming of the liquid fuel.

**BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS**

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**FIG. 1** is a perspective view illustrating a typical
automobile in phantom, with the fuel system of the present
invention interconnected between the tank containing the liquid
fuel and the carburetor of the engine;

**FIG. 2** is a view taken generally along the plane of line
2--2 of FIG. 1 and illustrates in section the rear trunk area of
the automobile and the main gasoline tank located therebelow,
with the auxiliary or fume tank projecting upwardly from the
main tank and extending into the trunk space;

**FIG. 3** is a view looking along the plane of line 3--3 of
FIG. 1 showing a partially broken, enlarged plan view of the
carburetor and associated air cleaner housing, and of
connections thereto, as embodied in the fuel system of the
present invention;

**FIG. 4** is a generally diagrammatic elevational view of
the fuel system of the invention connecting the carburetor of
the vehicle engine with the source of liquid fuel;

**FIG. 5** is an enlarged, sectional view taken generally
along the plane of line 5--5 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction
of the arrows, and illustrating the underside of the diffuser
mechanism in the auxiliary or fume tank of the system.

**FIG. 6** is a sectional view generally similar to FIG. 2,
but illustrating another embodiment of system especially as
concerns the auxiliary or fume tank and associated main liquid
fuel tank;

**FIG. 7** is an enlarged detail view of the auxiliary tank
of FIG. 6 illustrating an overflow arrangement.

**FIG. 8** is a view generally similar to FIG. 5, but taken
along the plane of line 8--8 of FIG. 6.

**FIG. 9** is a vertical, sectional enlarged view of another
embodiment illustrating a cap rather than an air filter housing,
for use with a conventional internal combustion engine
carburetor, for controlling the air intake of the carburetor
during the supplying of fumed fuel thereto from an auxiliary or
fume tank system of the type of FIG. 2 or of the type of FIG. 6.

**FIG. 10** is an enlarged view of an auxiliary or fume tank
generally similar to that of FIG. 6, but illustrating a further
embodiment of fume tank which includes means for further aiding
in vaporizing the liquid fuel and in removing droplets of liquid
fuel from the fumed air-fuel mixture prior to its passing from
the fume tank.

**DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS**

While the fuel systems illustrated are particularly adapted for
use with an internal combustion engine in an automotive vehicle
type of environment, it is also contemplated that said system
may be adaptable to an internal combustion engine in varied
environments such as tractors, stationary power units,
off-the-road equipment, and the like.

As herein illustrated, a typical automobile vehicle V is shown
in FIG. 1 equipped with an internal combustion engine 10
designed to burn liquid ignitable fuel supplied by a more or
less conventional fuel tank (e.g. tank 12 having liquid fuel
inlet 12a and conventional vented cap 12b) for providing liquid
fuel such as gasoline or any other liquid vaporizable ignitable
fuel, to the carburetor 13 of said engine.

As aforementioned, with the fuel such as gasoline being
supplied to the engine 10 in its liquid state, the engine only
uses about 25-30 percent of said fuel for power conversion
whereby the major part of said fuel is wasted and emitted in
various well known pollutant forms from said engine.

As aforementioned, the fuel system of the present invention
overcomes this deficiency by providing ignitable fuel in its
"fumed state" such that substantially all of the delivered fuel
to said engine is utilized for power conversion.

To accomplish this, a fuel fume tank or auxiliary tank
identified at 16 which is generally cylindrical in its present
configuration, coacts in the upright position with the
conventional fuel tank 12 located below the trunk space 18 (FIG.
2) of the vehicle, and with its (member 16) lower end projecting
into the interior of tank 12, so as to be disposed in submerged
relation with the anticipated level 19 of liquid fuel in main
tank 12. Tank 16 in the embodiment illustrated comprises top
wall 20, side wall portion 20a and bottom wall 20b, with such
bottom wall, in the embodiment illustrated having a plurality of
openings 22 therein. thus communicating the interior of tank 16
with the interior of main tank 12, and thus establishing the
liquid fuel level in tank 16 at substantially the same level as
that of the liquid fuel in main tank 12. Tank 16 is received in
the complementary opening 23 formed in the top wall of main tank
12 in sealed relation, either by adequate gasketing means or by
permanent welds securing tank 16 to tank 12.

In its present configuration, tank 16 is about 16" in its
external diameter, to define a fume chamber 16a therein.

One end of a collector member or tube 24 is secured as at 24a
by any suitable means, such as, for instance, welds, to the top
wall 20 (in the embodiment illustrated) of the auxiliary or
fuming tank 16, with such member 24 projecting interiorly of the
fuming tank 16, and being open at its bottommost end, for
passage of fumed fuel-air mixture thereinto from the fuming
tank.

Member 24, in the embodiment illustrated, is of arcuate
configuration in side elevation, as can be best seen in FIG. 2,
and at its distal end comprises a pair of branch conduit
sections 26, 26a, which have coupling means 27 coacting
therewith such as, for instance, threaded coupling means, for
coupling member 24 to a respective line 28, 28a.

Line 28 is directed to the carburetor 13 passing through a
tight fitting opening in the conventional air cleaner housing 30
mounted on the carburetor, and with line 28 terminating just
above the conventional butterfly valve 32 located in the
carburetor throat, thereby providing for passage of fumed
fuel-air mixture from the collector member 24 to the carburetor.
Line 28a passes from the collector 24 to coupling 34, mounted to
the conventional air cleaner housing 30, thereby providing a
further passage for the transmission of additional fumed
fuel-air from the collector 24 to the carburetor.

Collector tube 24 in the specific embodiment illustrated, is
preferably approximately three inches in internal diameter,
while supply line 28 has an internal diameter of preferably
approximately 11/2", and line 28a has a corresponding diameter
of approximately 3/4". Such lines 28, 28a are capable of
providing sufficient fumes to carburetor 13 for powering the
engine.

Extending from exteriorly of collector member 24 and passing
through the wall thereof in sealed relationship, is an air inlet
conduit 36, which extends downwardly through the downwardly
extending collector pipe 24 below open end thereof, with pipe 36
having a diffuser member 38 secured thereto just above the level
19 of liquid fuel in auxiliary or fuming tank 16.

Diffuser member 38, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises an
upper plate 40 and a lower plate 42 (FIG. 5) with the distal end
of air inlet pipe 36 being disposed in vertically spaced
relation above the lower plate 42 so that as air (and also fuel
as will be hereinafter described) passes downwardly through the
pipe 36, it impinges against the upper surface of lower plate
42. Extending generally radially outwardly from the vertical
axis of plate 42 commencing generally adjacent the periphery of
lower plate 42, are a plurality of arcuate vanes 44 so that the
air and fuel passing into diffusing member 38 is twirled or
given a vortex effect as it streams outwardly through the
diffusing member 38 and across the confronting surface of the
liquid fuel in auxiliary tank 16, thus fuming the fuel and
creating a relatively rich mixture of fuel and air, which is
then drawn upwardly by the engine vacuum, as will be hereinafter
discussed.

As the fumed fuel-air mixture is drawn upwardly in chamber 16a
of fume tank 16, it passes through a baffle arrangement 48,
which may be supported on aforementioned inlet pipe 36, such
baffle comprising a cup-like member 48a which opens upwardly so
that the fumed fuel-air vapor has to pass upwardly over the open
top of the cup-shaped baffle and then downwardly to pass into
the lower open mouth of collector member 24, and aiding in
removal of any liquid droplets of fuel from the fumed fuel-air
mixture.

Air inlet pipe 36 preferably has an interior diameter of
approximately one inch. Branching off from air inlet pipe 36 and
in communication therewith is a liquid fuel pipe or conduit 50
of conventional internal diameter size coming from the output
port of the conventional fuel pump 52 (FIG. 4) of the
conventional internal combustion engine 10. The input port of
the fuel pump 52 is connected by means of conventional conduit
line 54 (FIGS. 1 and 4) to the conventional outlet port 56 on
the main fuel tank 12. Fuel lines 50 and 54 preferably have an
internal diameter in the embodiment illustrated of approximately
3/8".

A shower head or liquid diffusing screen 57 of conventional
known type may be provided either at the connection of fuel line
50 to air inlet line 36, or in the alternative at the distal end
of air inlet line 36, so that the liquid fuel as it is mixed
with the air being inserted into the diffuser member 38 via line
36, is broken into a fine mist, thus facilitating the fuming of
the liquid fuel and enriching the fuel-air mixture with fumes of
the liquid fuel as compared with liquid fuel droplets. The
impacting of the lower plate 42 in diffuser 38, by the fuel-air
mixture emanating from the distal end of inlet line 36 likewise
aids in the removal of liquid droplets from the fuel-air
mixture.

A conventional, normally closed, air check valve 58 (FIGS. 2
and 4) coacts with the air inlet line 36 and is intended to be
actuated to its open condition in response to the pressure in
the fuming tank 16 reaching a negative pressure (vacuum) of
approximately minus one pound of mercury as read on a
conventional automotive vacuum gage, thus connecting the
interior of the fuming tank 16 through the air inlet pipe 36 to
atmosphere. In actual practice this magnitude of negative
pressure (vacuum) is substantially immediately realized upon the
engine 10 being initially actuated or "turned over" as is
referred to in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the circular wall of the air filter
housing member 30 is provided with two air entry ports 60 and 62
respectively. The conventional air intake chute 64 on the air
cleaner is blocked, as at 65, so that air cannot be drawn
thereinto as is conventionally done with an internal combustion
engine. Port 60 is connected to a normally closed conventional
air check valve 66, while port 62 is coupled to a normally
closed conventional air check valve 68. Valve 66 is adapted to
open in response to pressure in the throat of the carburetor
reaching a negative pressure (vacuum) of approximately one and
one-half pounds of mercury, thus coupling the closed air cleaner
housing to the exterior air shortly after the engine is "turned
over" or actuated, thus "leaning out" the fuel-air mixture of
fumed fuel being supplied via lines 28, 28a to the carburetor.
Air check valve 68 is adapted to open when the pressure in the
carburetor throat reaches a negative pressure (vacuum) of
approximately a minus five pounds of mercury, thus furnishing
further outside or atmospheric air to the carburetor. In actual
practice this magnitude of negative vacuum of a minus five
pounds is reached when the engine is at approximately its idle
operating condition.

In operation the fume fuel system of the FIGS. 1 through 5
system is preferably as follows:

Assuming that the engine 10 is off, or at rest condition, a
certain quantity of fuel fumes is being generated in the fuming
tank 16 due strictly to the fact that there is liquid fuel
therein. In this rest condition) the air check valves 58, 66 and
68 are in closed condition, and the butterfly valve 32 in the
carburetor throat is likewise in generally closed position.

When the engine is turned over either manually, or by the
typical battery-powered starter used in conventional present-day
automotive systems, the initial cranking of the engine will
generate a vacuum in the fuming tank 16 and in the air inlet
pipe 36 as well as in the engine manifold, and in carburetor 13,
when the butterfly valve 32 is opened through the conventional
foot control accelerator or throttle (not shown), or by any
other means, thus causing the vacuum to go to about minus one
pound of mercury in the carburetor as well as in the lines 28,
28a and in the aforementioned fuming tank 16 and air inlet 36,
and thus resulting in the air check valve 58 to outside air,
permitting air from atmosphere to flow into inlet pipe 36. At
the same time, the cranking of the engine causes the fuel pump
52 to pump liquid fuel via fuel line 50 into air inlet pipe 36
through the misting connection 57, thereof, thereby supplying a
combined fuel-air mixture to the diffuser member 38, whereupon
the fuel mixture whirls in cyclonic fashion outwardly from the
center of the lower baffle, or abutment plate 42, to pass across
the surface of the liquid fuel in auxiliary tank 16 upwardly
past the baffle arrangement 48, and into the open bottom end of
the collector tube 24.

The cyclonic, or whirling effect of the diffuser 38 aids in
elimination of liquid droplets from the fuel-air mixture
abutting against the abutment plate 42, thereby maintaining the
fuel-air mixture being supplied to the engine in vaporous
condition, as well as enhancing the vaporization of the liquid
fuel. Such fuel-air mixture, passing upwardly through the baffle
48, likewise aids in removal of any liquid droplets in the
fuel-air mixture to further aid in increasing the efficiency of
the engine.

From collector chamber 24, the fuel may pass through the fuel
supply lines 28, 28a to the carburetor, whereupon the fuel in
the piston firing chambers of the engine 10 is ignited, to cause
the engine to fire. As the comparatively rich fuel-air vaporous
mixture is passed into the carburetor, due to the vacuum caused
by cranking the engine, the atmospheric air inlet check valve 66
opens to mix further at approximately a minus one and one-half
pounds of mercury, to "lean" out the fuel as it passes through
the throat of the carburetor to the piston chambers.

Upon firing of the engine, the atmospheric air check valve 68
opens at approximately a minus five pounds vacuum of mercury, to
further lean out the comparatively rich vapor being furnished to
the carburetor via lines 28, 28a, and the engine is then
available to power the vehicle V. Safety screening, such as for
instance miner's screen, are preferably provided as at 69 in
collection chamber 24 and in supply lines 28, 28a at their
connections to the air filter housing 30, to extinguish any
flame in the event of back firing of the engine.

It will be seen that the system of FIGS. 1 through 5 is a
closed system, with outside atmospheric air being admitted to
the system only upon opening of the air check valve 58 which
occurs upon cranking of the engine. As the negative pressure or
vacuum increases toward a minus five pounds of mercury, the
quantity of fumed fuel-air mixture that is drawn from the fuming
tank 16 into the collector tube or member 24 and then through
lines 28, 28a to the carburetor, increases proportionately, thus
providing an adequate source of the vaporous fuel-air mixture to
the engine. When the engine is shut off by turning off the key
thereto, the air check valves 58, 66 and 68 close, and the
butterfly valve 32 is returned to its closed position, thus
causing the pressure in the carburetor to return to
approximately zero magnitude, thus stopping any ingress of
atmospheric air into the system. It will be understood that in
the present system wherein only a fumed fuel and air mixture is
provided to the engine for combustion, substantially all of the
fuel-air mixture is burned for power conversion, thus resulting
in substantially increasing the efficiency of the engine, and
for automotive type vehicles, such system is operable to
substantially increase the vehicle mileage rate per gallon of
liquid fuel that is utilized in the fuel tank.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 7, there is shown another
embodiment of fuming tank arrangement. In this embodiment, the
fuming tank is more readily connectable to an existing main fuel
tank without substantial alteration of the latter and an
overflow arrangement is provided for causing fuel inserted into
the air inlet line to be returned to the main tank when it gets
to a predetermined level in the auxiliary fuming tank. In this
arrangement, like reference numbers have been utilized when
referring to the component parts thereof, except that the prefix
prime (') has been added thereto.

In this arrangement, the auxiliary fuming tank 16' includes a
non-perforated bottom wall 20b', but which has a pipe or conduit
member 72 extending through such bottom wall 20b' in sealed
relation therewith, and which extends downwardly to communicate
at its lower end with the interior of the main fuel tank 12' of
the vehicle. Coacting with upright pipe 72 is an overflow pipe
section 74 which branches off from pipe 72 and extends a
predetermined distance above the bottom surface of the auxiliary
tank 16' and in this embodiment opens onto the upper surface of
bottom baffle plate 42 of diffuser member 38'. Thus it will be
seen that in the event that the fuel level in auxiliary tank 16'
gets up to the entry mouth pipe 74, the fuel flows down through
branch pipe 74, through pipe 72 to the interior of main fuel
tank 12'.

The air inlet pipe 36' in this embodiment extends from
exteriorly of the collector pipe or member 24' through the wall
thereof in sealed relationship and extends downwardly to
terminate at the upper plate member 40' of diffuser member 38'.
In other respects, the diffuser member 38' is generally similar
to that aforediscussed in connection with diffuser member 38 of
the firstdescribed embodiment. The air inlet pipe 36' has a
conventional air check valve 58' coacting therewith in a similar
manner as the corresponding air check valve in the
first-described embodiment. In this embodiment, the fuel line
50' from the fuel pump 52 preferably has a manually actuatable
shut-off valve 76 therein, and with such fuel line extending
into the air inlet pipe 36' just above the diffuser member 38',
a liquid misting screen or head 57' is preferably utilized at
the entry end of line 50' into air inlet line 36' and in a
generally similar manner as in the first described embodiment.

In this embodiment, the collector member 24' coacts with a
single transmission line 28', in the embodiment as illustrated.
Line 28' is preferably approximately two inches in internal
diameter and connected to collector 24' in sealed relationship
and as at 80. Line 28' is then coupled to the carburetor
preferably in a generally similar manner as the coupling of line
28 in the first-described embodiment. This single transmission
line 28' takes the place of the two substantially smaller lines
28, 28a in the first described embodiment.

In this embodiment of fuming tank 16', the interior of the side
walls thereof may be covered with a liquid absorbent material,
such as at 77, impervious to the action of the fuel, for aiding
in removal of liquid droplets from the fumed air-fuel mixture
being dispersed from the diffuser member 38' to the interior of
the fuming tank 16' prior to its passage through the baffle
member 48' and entry thereof into the collection member 24'. A
suitable material for such droplet absorbing member has been
found to be non-woven fabric in the form of carpeting of
polyester, or nylon, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown a further embodiment
of auxiliary or fume tank which is somewhat similar to the fume
tank embodiments illustrated in the previous embodiments of FIG.
2 and FIG. 6 respectively, but which includes thereon on the
interior of the tank a greater amount of the liquid absorbent
material 77" shown in FIG. 6 embodiment. Moreover, in this
embodiment, the diffuser member 38" is somewhat different from
the diffuser members of the first-described embodiments, and a
different arrangement is provided for passing of the overflow of
liquid fuel in the fume tank back to the main fuel tank. Like
numbers have been utilized to designate generally similar parts
except that the prefix " has been added thereto.

As can be seen from FIG. 10, the bottom plate 42" of the
diffuser assembly 38" is the larger of the plates, with the top
plate 40" providing the bottom of the cup baffle 48". The vanes
44" commence adjacent to the axial center of the plates 40", 42"
and are arcuate in a generally similar manner as in the
first-described embodiments, for causing a whirling of the inlet
fuel and air mixture as it strikes the bottom plate when it
emerges from the distal end of the inlet pipe 36".

Bottom plate 42" extends almost completely across the dimension
of the fuming tank 16" and terminates just short of the side
walls thereof and as at 80. The top plate 40" of the diffuser
38" preferably terminates just short of (approximately 1/2 inch)
of the fabric covered side walls of tank 16".

The aforementioned fabric material 77" covers not only the
interior surfaces of the side walls of the fuming tank, but also
the interior surfaces of the top wall as well as the side and
interior bottom surfaces of the baffle member 48" and also the
exterior of the collector member 24" where it extends into the
fuming tank 16". Accordingly, the fuel-air mixture passing
through the diffuser up over the baffle member 48" and then
downwardly into the cup-like baffle to enter the lower open end
of the collector 24" is passed by or exposed to a substantial
amount of the fabric 77", thus removing substantially all of any
liquid droplets in the fuel-air mixture to maintain maximum
efficiency for powering the engine. It will be seen that the
lower end of the fabric material on the side walls of the fuming
tank extend downwardly as at 82, below the lower plate 42" of
the diffuser 38" and into the pool of liquid fuel which
ordinarily is found therein. Liquid fuel by the "wicking" action
of the fabric is drawn upwardly into the fabric covering the
side walls and the top wall, wetting the latter with liquid
fuel, and thus aids in fuming the fuel-air mixture. A funnel
member 83 is provided through plate 42" in general alignment
with inlet pipe 36" so that some fuel-air mixture from pipe 36"
passes through lower plate 42".

A sight tube 84 may be provided on the exterior of the fuming
tank for indicating the level of liquid fuel therein.

A housing member 86 is provided over the drain port 88, which
is connected as by means of a drain line 90 to the main fuel
tank (not shown), and if the level of liquid in chamber 89 gets
above the level illustrated, it will overflow housing 86 and
then flow down through openings 92 in enclosure 86 and out the
drain 88 to the main fuel tank. Expansion chamber 93 may be
provided in line 90.

The upper end of the collector member 24" is reduced from the
approximately three inch diameter of the vertical portion
thereof down to approximately one and seven-eighths inch
diameter where it is connected to the feed line 28", which is
directed to the carburetor. As can be seen, an expansion chamber
93' may be provided in line 28", and also a drain 94 may be
provided in line 28" and connected by line 96 back to line 90 to
the main fuel tank, for further removal of any liquid fuel that
may still exist in the fuel-air mixture being fed to the
carburetor by the vacuum pressure.

Line 28" is preferably approximately one and one-half inches in
internal diameter. Operation of this embodiment of fuming tank
is generally similar as that described for the previous
embodiments, except that due to the coating material, or fabric
77", the fuel-air mixture is further enriched with vapor emitted
from coating 77", and thus is maintained in an even greater
magnitude of vaporous condition.

Referring now to FIG. 9 there is shown a modified arrangement
of closed carburetor head for replacement of the first described
conventional air cleaner housing on the carburetor. In this
embodiment the closed head member 84 is mounted in generally
sealed relationship on the conventional throat 85 of the
carburetor 13. The air ports 60', 62' are provided in the head
member 84, above the entry of the fuel-air mixture transmission
lines 28', 28a' to the carburetor throat, so that the
atmospheric air being admitted from the atmosphere to the
carburetor throat via the air check valves (not shown)
associated with the respective part is admitted above the
discharge end of the fuel-air mixture transmission lines 28',
28a' to the head. Thus the atmospheric air being applied to the
carburetor to lean out the mixture of fuel-air being furnished
to the carburetor by lines 28', 28a' is entered into the
carburetor head above the enriched fuel-air mixture being
supplied from the fuming tank. Such a closed carburetor head
arrangement will provide slightly greater vacuum to the
carburetor upon turning the engine over than say, for instance,
the vacuum when utilizing the air cleaner housing member 30 of
the FIGS. 3 and 4 embodiment.

From the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings, it
will be seen that the invention provides a novel fuel system for
use with an internal combustion engine for generating a fumed
fuel-air mixture and for supplying such mixture to associated
fuel delivery means of the engine, for ignition therein and
which system includes means for causing improved diffusion of
the air and fuel, to improve the vaporization process and thus
increase the efficiency of the fuel utilized in the engine. The
invention also provides a novel fuel system embodying efficient
fuming tank mechanism, which is operable to cause an increase of
vaporization of the liquid fuel provided, together with means
for more completely removing liquid droplets from the fumed
fuel, to thus further increase the efficiency of the engine.

The terms and expressions which have been used are used as
terms of description and not of limitation, and there is not
intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding
any equivalents of any of the features shown or described, or
portions thereof, and it is recognized that various
modifications are possible within the scope of the invention
claimed.



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